Currently, storm drains in San Diego are not a part of the waste water system. This important distinction means that materials emptied into the storm drains do not go to the waste water treatment facilities. Whatever enters the storm drain system from city streets such as oil from automobiles, fertilizer residue from landscape runoff and dirty water from washed cars empties directly into the nearest body of water such as the San Diego River or the Pacific Ocean.

Using city budgeted funds and a 2003 Environmental Protection Agency grant of $6.1 million, an additional 28 interceptors are being constructed along the coast from La Jolla to Pacific Beach.

One of the firms awarded a contract to construct this network of interceptors is the Zondiros Corporation. Headquartered in Torrance, California, Zondiros Corporation, founded in the 90's, has enjoyed rapid growth and the opportunity to successfully participate in other San Diego County projects through their San Marcos location during this time. Combined with this experience and success, the company is now fully involved in this current extensive project of installing pump stations for the diversion of non-storm, low flow run-off waste water from the City of La Jolla in the north to Mission Bay in the south.

Under the direction of Craig Barry, Vice President of Zondiros Corporation at the San Marcos office, the project was initiated in early 2006 with the objective of achieving completion before the moratorium period. This moratorium is due to the high rate of tourism to San Diego area beaches during the period from Memorial Day to Labor Day and the important part this plays in the local economy there is a moratorium on construction projects that would impede traffic in the beach areas. The scope of this phase of the project consists of construction of 11 diversion/pump stations, 3 in LaJolla, 1 in Ocean Beach and 7 in the Pacific Beach area that will catch and divert non-storm, low-flow waste water from city streets to the main water treatment plant in Point Loma for treatment before being discharged into the ocean. Each site offers a different set of challenges and circumstances for Zondiros Corporation crews. To overcome these challenges, Zondiros Project Superintendent, Ishmael Mariscal has been able to count on Trench Shoring Company for assistance in providing the right equipment for each phase of the project. Installation of each pump station is unique yet similar, requiring 5' to 10' deep trenches for pipe installation and connections and excavation of a 20' deep area for the installation of the pumping equipment.

By using Trench Shoring Company's Tren-Shore™ light weight aluminum shoring device specifically developed for narrow trenches and excavations, a single worker can install as fast as the trench can be cut reducing time and costs dramatically. Use of other Trench Shoring Company shoring products has greatly assisted in expediting the project. The use of Trench Shoring Company traffic plates insures safety during the excavation and installation of the water lines. The plates are available in 12 standard sizes with special sizes available on request. "Using Trench Shoring Company products has been easy and efficient" said Craig Barry, vice president, Zondiros Corporation. "Trench Shoring Company representative Greg Sheenan was here at the start to assess our needs and now it's as easy as a phone call to the San Diego office to have whatever Trench Shoring Company products we need delivered to the job."

Upon completion of each new interceptor/pump station, the Zondiros crew stencils the San Diego County slogan, "Think Blue" above the catch drain. Zondiros Corporation is on schedule for completion of this phase of this project that will serve to benefit the people and cities of San Diego County both today and in the future. Cc